Plymouth/Berlin. In Massachusetts, a person dies of a rare disease. It is transmitted by mosquitoes – which requires radical measures.
The northeastern US state Massachusetts is currently suffering from a massive mosquito plague – with deadly consequences. The mosquitoes that appear there are not only annoying, but also extremely dangerous. They could transmit a rare disease: Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE).
According to the state health authority, there is now a first DeathThe adult, who tested positive for the EEE virus, had previously been hospitalized with a severe central nervous system disorder, it is said.
Although the mosquito The EEE virus transmitted by humans does not cause symptoms in most people. But when the disease breaks out, it can be life-threatening. Symptoms of the viral disease include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea and dizziness. It can also lead to life-threatening meningitis – within a few days, patients can fall into a coma.
According to the US health authority CDC 30 percent of EEE cases are fatal. Many people are left with neurological problems after recovering from the disease. There have been many EEE cases in the USA so far this year – at the beginning of the month, a case was registered in Massachusetts for the first time in four years.
Mosquito plague in the USA: New England states particularly affected
The risk of EEE virus infection is higher this year in the New England states in the northeast of the USA, said Benjamin Chan, the state’s epidemiologist. The risk will only decrease again when the first frost sets in. That’s why people should protect themselves against mosquito bites.
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The last reported EEE cases The state health authority said that there was an outbreak in New Hampshire in 2014. At that time, three people became ill with the virus, two of whom died.
Mosquito plague: How authorities in Massachusetts are fighting it
Since there is currently no vaccine or medication against the EEE virus, Massachusetts is now resorting to radical measures: In the city Plymouthwhich is one of the areas particularly at risk, all public parks and green spaces are closed from dusk until morning.
People in the ten at-risk communities in Massachusetts are encouraged to stay home during the twilight hours Mosquito spray apply mosquito repellent, cover limbs with long sleeves and pants, spend as little time outdoors as possible, and cover windows with mosquito screens. Garden owners should also reduce potential mosquito breeding grounds by removing standing water from containers such as buckets, tires, and paddling pools.
The authorities are also spraying in the affected areas Pesticides to protect residents from mosquitoes. The pesticide used is Anvil 10+10, a product approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
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“The aerial spraying targets mosquitoes that EEE-Virus These measures are critical to reducing the risk of transmission, but it is important that everyone remains vigilant and follows personal protection guidelines to protect our community,” said Ashley Randle of the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture about the measure.
